Jim Dandy was born September 15, 1942 at Rat Springs, AZ to Albert Dandy and Cora Shorty Dandy. His clan was the Bitter Water clan and born for the Manygoats clan. His maternal clan is the Edge Water clan and Paternal clan is the Bitter Water of the Deer Springs clan.

Jim was the third oldest of eight siblings. Jim grew up in Red Lake, AZ. He started his schooling at Tuba City Boarding School. Then he was sent to Chilocco Indian School in Oklahoma for a couple of years.

When Jim was high school age, he approached a gentleman who worked with the LDS Placement program outside of a local trading post, Jim found out he was too old for the program at the age of 16.

Miles Jensen of Gunnison, UT and Tom Hadley of Ogden, UT, two caseworkers with the LDS Placement, helped Jim get into the program. Jim was placed on the bus to Tremonton, UT by Steve Lovell of Blanding UT, who turned out to be one his lifelong friends.

Jim moved in with the Lamb Family. He attended Bear River High School. Jim played football, wrestling and rodeo. Wrestling became his favorite, where he later won the State Championship and became a wonderful wrestling coach.

After graduation from Bear River High School Jim attended Brigham Young University, University of Utah, Weber State, Maryland University and College of Eastern Utah, but his favorite was BYU by far. He was a devoted Cougar fan. He was always known for sporting around town with a BYU hat, t-shirt or something with the “Y” symbol.

While attending BYU, he met the love of his life Betty Yazzie. She was attending West High School in Salt Lake City. After their first meeting they became good friends until Betty graduated from West High and then attended Beauty School. They courted for some time until they were married in the Salt Lake Temple by LeGrand Richards.

Jim and Betty had their first child, Jim M. Dandy Jr. of Monument Valley, UT. When they moved back to the Blanding area and Monument Valley, they brought five other five children, Travis Eli, Raquel, Shiloh Lamont, Delwin and Nate.

Jim was an educator throughout his life. His love for his heritage and traditions helped him get closer to students all over. Jim was also an outstanding coach to so many.

He always talked to young student about the importance of education everywhere he went. Jim’s greatest loves were the LDS church, his wife, his children and grandchildren.

Jim will be greatly missed and remembered as a loving and serviceable man. His trademark smile and greetings will forever be engraved in our minds. James Lee Dandy passed through the veil on February 20, 2014

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